Comparative evaluation of PCR using IS6110 and a new target in the detection of tuberculous lymphadenitis.
Sujatha Narayanan; Vijayalakshmi Parandaman; Fathima Rehman; Chitra Srinivasan; Gomathy, D.; Kumaraswami, V.; Paramasivan, C.N.; Ramanathan, V.D.; Narayanan, P.R.
Current Science; 2000; 78; 1367-1370.
We evaluated TRC4 primers using polymerase chain (PCR) which amplify a new target sequence from Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome to diagnose tuberculous lymphadenitis and compared the results with PCR using the widely used IS6110 primers. The PCR results were also compared with conventional methods like smear, culture and histopathology. The sensitivity of PCR using both probes is higher than the conventional methods. Out of 101 samples analysed (49 fresh and 52 fixed specimens), PCR using IS6110 and TRC4 primers was positive in 64 and 70 samples, respectively, whereas results with culture and histopathology methods were positive only in 49 and 58 samples, respectively. The problem of false negativity of IS6110 due to the absence of IS6110 copy in 4 M. tuberculosis isolates was overcome by using TRC4 primers. The results indicate that with improvement in PCR techniques, PCR using both probes, IS6110 and TRC4 can be a rapid and sensitive adjunct to conventional techniques in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis.
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